Explore AIB student stories

The AIB student and alumni community is made up of over 10,000 business professionals, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, living and working across 90 countries. Coming from a range of professional backgrounds, industries and education levels, the AIB community is a highly diverse global cohort, and we’re incredibly proud of their successes.

Explore the career and study experiences of a number of our graduates via their Student Stories below.

Alexander Elemo

Alexander wanted to study an MBA not only to move into senior management roles but also to be able to bring business expertise to his family business.

Alexander Rossi

Alexander used his MBA to build on the knowledge he had from his finance degree and to improve his confidence within his current career path.

Amanda Barnett

After being in the travel and tourism industry for 15 years, Amanda decided to study an MBA to expand her knowledge and skills.

Amy Lafleche

Amy opens up about how she has achieved success throughout her fruitful career, how she learnt and grew through “career fails”, and what leadership means to her.

Andrew Collins

Andrew shares how earning his MBA has helped him start two business in technology and manufacturing, and awoke his passion for learning.

Barry Keohane

For Barry, the MBA experience helped him develop a clear outlook on the next 5-10 years of his career, with senior management positions in his sights.

Ben Latimore

Ben was looking to take the next step into business operations after studying his engineering and project management degrees. An MBA was the perfect solution!

Ben Laverack

Ben studied an MBA to advance his career as a psychologist and build his business expertise with the future goal to start his own private practice.

Bernard Perchman

Bernard turned to the MBA to finesse his business skills and help him gain a better understanding of the big picture in the corporate world.

Brad Honeyman

CEO Brad studied the MBA to ensure he was putting his best foot forward for his team, and his family.

Brayden Germaine

Ever since his undergrad, Brayden had looked to study an MBA as a diverse introduction to the broader world of business and a base for professional growth.

Brett Ferguson

Having never done formal study previously, Brett tells us of his success and confidence from doing an MBA.

Candice Crawford

With 20 years of experience behind her, Candice decided it was time to up-skill to remain competitive.

Carmen Wannop

Currently studying her second MBA, Carmen not only grew credibility through her studies but a passion for lifelong learning.

Caroline Patrick

With 20 years in Marketing roles, Caroline wanted to take the next step in her career and gain a more holistic business view.

Caryn Thomas

Caryn used her management experience to gain entry to the MBA, building her skills and confidence to supper her move back into the corporate world.

Chantale Callingham

Reaching a point in her career, Chantale realised that she needed to formalise her experience if she wanted to achieve her ambitions.

Charmaine Marshall

Charmaine completed her MBA so that she could hold her own in directors meetings, and prepare for a move into executive positions with her new qualification.

Chloe Brown

Chloe’s MBA bolstered her analytical outlook in business, improved her financial acumen and deepened her understanding of the companies she’s worked with.

Chris Lee

On the way towards completing his MBA, Chris completed his Graduate Certificate and shared his experience with us on the journey so far.

Christine Blair

Christine, an engineer, found that when she moved up the corporate ladder, she needed to enhance her business skills. An MBA was the vehicle to do that.

Christine Bridge

Christine secured herself a promotion towards the end of her MBA studies, and she credits not only her business learnings but the confidence to own her seat at the table.

Craig Cathcart

How an MBA education is playing it's part in Craig's leadership journey after a professional global ballet career.

Dan Cody

Dan switched from another MBA provider to AIB because he was looking for a practical-based learning experience. He found it with AIB.

Daniel Kallal

Knowing he wanted to complete an MBA for over 10 years, Daniel, Manager of North American Operations at Versys completed his MBA in 2021.

David Boyd

When changing from a small business to a larger company, David took on an MBA to develop his strategic view, business objectives, and to keep his team engaged.

David Whiting

Not only did David study an MBA while traveling around Africa, he did so while completing subjects concurrently, he also achieved a perfect GPA of 7.00 awarding him Valedictorian status.

Deb Reid-Spirk

Returning to study didn't come without it's fears for Debbonaire, but she quickly overcame them, and now implements her new practical knowledge daily at work.

Denise Edwards

Based in Toronto, as a marketing specialist for one of Canada's big 5 banks, Denise was ready to take her expertise to the next level.

Deon Swiggs

Christchurch City Councillor Deon looked to the MBA to boost his business skills, but his increased financial acumen has proven to be the most beneficial outcome.

Donya Van Pampus

Donya's holistic business understanding received a big boost from the MBA journey, and she found her written communication improved leaps and bounds.

Drew Michael

Shortly after completing his MBA, Drew secured a promotion with worldwide media conglomerate Paramount.

Euver Enrique Naranjo Penaloza

Euver is a petroleum engineer who had his sights on leadership roles, leading him to the MBA. He regards the support he received during his studies as invaluable to his success.

Fausto Rossi

Fausto passed up the opportunity to do an MBA 15 years prior because he wasn't ready, and always regretted it. He decided that it was time to stop putting it off and achieve his goals.

Florence Henaway & Joy Onyeledo

Joy and Florence decided to pursue their MBA degree together, not only to prove to themselves that they could do it, but to be a role models for other women and Indigenous people.

Gavin Smith

Gavin was inspired to study by his children who were doing the same, and has since acquired a position that he doesn’t think he would have been in the running for without the MBA.

Ioane Afoa

Even though Ioane has a lot of operational experience in his field, he decided to study an MBA to give him the analytical tools to drive further success.

Jacqueline Green

Shortly after completing her MBA whilst pregnant and looking after a toddler, Jacqueline was able to leverage her new qualification and was promoted.

Jamie Norris

Jamie is living proof, that no matter what challenges are thrown your way, we should never put a ceiling on our success.

Jason Barron

Jason studied the MBA so that he could get a broader business understanding within his company and is now well positioned to take the next step in his career.

Jean Manda

Regardless of her apprehensions, or what life through in her way, Jean never lost sight of her goals and ambitions to complete her MBA.

Jeffrey Telfer

Jeffrey studied an MBA to supplement his technical skills as an engineer. By developing his business understanding, he is now able to tailor solutions to fit the business orientation.

Jessica Rodrigues

Before even completing her MBA, Taxation Specialist Jessica found that employers took a greater interest in hiring her and landed a career-defining opportunity.

Joel Grant

Using the MBA to formalise his entrepreneurial experience and make his mark in the corporate world.

Jose Luis Santiago

Jose’s frequent work travel meant study flexibility was a must, and the diverse skill set he’s developed as a result is paying dividends in his career.

Josh Makari

MBA Graduate Josh Makari, Head of Safety & Security – Australia & New Zealand at Ola, set out to start his MBA in order to future-proof his career.

Joyce Goh

For Joyce, the skills she has learnt in her MBA have become very much an intrinsic part of her day-to-day, and she has applied every aspect of her MBA knowledge to run a more efficient business.

Kane Ryan

After being at Holden for 19 years, Kane found that he needed a new career path and an MBA helped him prepare for just that.

Karen Harvey

Our Valedictorian, Karen Harvey, discusses her success with the AIB MBA and how it turned her fear of inadequacy into confidence to re-enter the workforce.

Katie Ashford

Katie wanted to challenge herself by doing an MBA as well as gain knowledge around areas such as finance, operations, and corporate governance.

Katie Simpson

With the c-suite within her reach, Katie completed her MBA, gained a seat at the table and a fresh new perspective.

Katrina Hodgkinson

Katrina always wanted a postgraduate degree but didn’t think that she had the qualifications. However, with 20 years of experience in parliament, she had the experience to be able to study with AIB.

Kenneth Letander

Finding AIB, Ken found value instantly, with the ability to take his learnings and apply them to his work the very next day.

Kristy Bloomfield

Having an MBA was essential for the marketing jobs that Kristy was applying for, and led to successfully landing her role with giant brand Coca Cola.

Kristy Skwaruk

Upskilling with an MBA, a vital part in Kristy's career progression journey.

Kwong Chuen

Kwong surpassed his modest goal of a passing grade in his MBA and earned an impressive distinction average, as well as the promotion at work he’d been after.

Kyong Khabbaz

Having worked with one major organisation for a big part of his career, Kyong was ready to expand his horizons with the AIB MBA.

Laura George

Always hungry to learn and better understand the theory behind decisions made, Laura took her career to the next level and excelled joining the Dean's Merit List.

Lauren Zaja

Lauren decided to study an MBA to keep pace with the business world, and after transferring from another provider to AIB, she's graduated with a competitive edge.

Leonie McCreanor

After the loss of her husband, Leonie was able to spread out her MBA to fit in with her busy lifestyle as a single working mother.

Les Machazire

Les was looking for professional development when he enrolled in the MBA, and he's since found it's helped him to stand out in the consulting pack, giving him an edge.

Leslie Manda

Leslie studied an MBA so that he could formalise his work experience into a tangible qualification, and his confidence has benefited greatly.

Liam French

Logistics specialist Liam studied an MBA to give him a more holistic understanding of business, and results in the depth of knowledge needed to look at things from a strategic angle.

Louise Woodcroft

Motivated to bolster her commercial acumen, Louise confidently dove into her MBA studies.

Luci Lesic

Financial accountant Luci fit her studies in with work and family time by doing a little bit of study every day, rather than a lot at a time.

Mahmoud Ezz

Mahmoud found the MBA experience to be a big milestone, not only in his career, but in his life.

Mahyar Tavassoli

Mahyar had a lot of experience, but he wanted to study an MBA to help him keep pace with the business world and expand on his knowledge.

Mamdouh Mina

Mamdouh studied his MBA to gain an international understanding of all aspects of the business world and gain full time employment in academia.

Marcel Rossetto

Marcel used his MBA learnings to guide him through the challenges of leading airline teams during the global pandemic.

Mark Lennock

Despite his wealth of experience, Mark felt his lack of formal qualifications was holding him back - now with an MBA under his belt, his career has taken off to new heights.

Mark Nesci

Mark turned to an MBA to help him with his career progression and to add to his wealth of industry experience.

Mark O’Neill

Mark didn’t let his lack of undergraduate experience stop him and he took on his 12 subjects with the same rigour as he did his 12 seasons as a Balmain Tiger – with motivation and determination!

Matthew Regan

Matthew studied his MBA to give himself more tools to use in the ever-changing business environment, which are proving beneficial for him already in strategic and tech supply chain management.

Matthew Squires

With a clinical specialist background, Matthew studied an MBA to acquire a business toolkit. It's already opening doors in the business world for him.

Matthew Walton

Matthew’s exciting role with the Australian Grand Prix sees him manage all infrastructure requirements for events, and the MBA is helping him in ways he didn't foresee.

Megan Lederhose

Megan studied her MBA to future proof her career ahead a possible sector change and gain transferrable skills for career progression.

Michael Jeremijenko

Mining Production Operator Michael credits the confidence gained from the MBA as his driver to now apply for roles he wouldn’t have previously gone for.

Michael Koloboy

Ambitious to always be and do better, Michael realised his life-long ambition to complete an MBA.

Nick Penny

Nick decided to study an MBA to hone the skills that he had learnt in his career and found that the MBA solidified his knowledge.

Nicole Floyd

Nicole not only gained formal qualifications to match her extensive work experience, she also rose to the top of her class as the Valedictorian.

Nicole Steers

Nicole found that there were certain areas where she felt a little bit out of her depth and an MBA was the perfect way to fill those gaps.

Nigel Chetty

Nigel used his MBA to consolidate his work and life experience and further his career prospects.

Ounmisham Appiah

IT specialist and entrepreneur Ounmisham used his MBA to help him gain practical business knowledge and bridge the gap when working with associates across different generations.

Patryk Kelly

Patryk’s diverse career has seen him work across a number of industries and functions, but thanks to the MBA he’s found his niche in healthcare marketing.

Rebecca Pierce

Confident in Healthcare, Rebecca was ready to learn more about the business side of management and develop her paramedic leadership.

Remco Gorisse

Moving to Australia, Remco found whilst he had a wealth of experience, he needed formal qualifications to future-proof his career.

Ricky Alogo

With over 10 years of marketing experience, when Ricky arrived to Australia from Kenya, he realised he would need Australian credentials to future-proof his career.

Rodney Attrill

Rodney studied the MBA to support a change in industry, which he was successful in during his studies, taking him from one side of the country to the other.

Rohan Higgins

Experienced CFO Rohan travelled between Sydney and Melbourne each week for work, and used the travel time to get his study done.

Ruth Palmer

Ruth is living proof that your experience is invaluable. Regardless of how long it has been since you last studied, or if you haven't ever at all, there's nothing that should hold you back from your ambitions.

Samantha Austin

When moving away from her laboratory background and into more senior-level roles, Samantha's MBA gave her the management insights she needed to thrive.

Scott Hickling

Scott took on an MBA as the next step in his lifelong learning project and passion. Although it was a personal accomplishment, he also gained much more from studying with AIB.

Selma Barlow

After a number of promotions, new opportunities plus a Dean’s Merit and Valedictorian Award, Selma knew studying an MBA was the right choice to accelerate her career growth.

Silvana Taleb

Silvana's MBA is helping her smash through glass ceilings and open doors, though she started the journey looking to solidify her experience and challenge herself.

Slavia Velso

After completing an Education and Science degree, Slavia decided an MBA was what she needed to further her business knowledge.

Solar Nicholls

At age 24, Solar had her sights on management within her marketing career, so she enrolled in the MBA to equip her with the skills and knowledge to get ahead.

Staša Mlekuž

Staša loved how AIB's MBA was organised and found the course to be the perfect fit to accomplish her goals.

Stella Cooper

Over a 15-year career in HR, Stella had been responsible for developing the careers of many professionals. Now it was finally time to focus on her own lifelong ambition and complete her MBA.

Steve Larkin

Steve completed his MBA not only to tick off a personal goal, but also to differentiate himself within the workplace.

Sue Ellen Mackintosh

For Sue Ellen, executive leader with over 20 years experience, an MBA wasn't about a promotion or pay rise but rather investing in a crucial element of her overall wellbeing and health - her mind.

Tanika Berlowitz

Tanika completed her MBA so that she could improve her theoretical knowledge and give herself the confidence she needed when working with more experienced colleagues.

Thato Isaac

With a life-long ambition to make it in the business world, Thato was ready to take it to the next level by completing his MBA in Entrepreneurial Management.

Thomas J. Sandrin

For Thomas, his MBA was not only a means to formalise his expertise and gain sense of achievement but gave him know-how and confidence to launch his own business.

Todd Johnson

Todd impressively matched every project in his MBA to a business challenge his company was facing at the time, which made his learning journey incredibly practical.

Todd Reade

For Todd, having an MBA was a critical next step for his career progression into senior leadership, and the personal and professional benefits have been plenty.

Tony Roddan

Tony's promotion to executive role, shortly after completing the MBA, is one he credits in part to completing his MBA.

Tracy Govender

Tracy's journey has seen her get her first formal qualification with the MBA and subsequently has been put forward for executive level positions.

Vaughan Copping

Vaughan was our 2018 valedictorian, and his ambitions with the MBA were to allow him greater flexibility in the future for his career.

Yvette Davidson

Yvette Davidson was able to move through a plateau in her career with the help of her MBA qualification, and achieve the management ranks she was aspiring to.

Yvette Mihelic

Yvette credits the MBA experience as one of self-discovery, as she learnt so much about herself, as well as business.

Zach McCool

Finishing an MBA specialising in Human Resource Management at the end of 2020, Zach left his job of management in front lines sports retail to pursue a position as Director of Human Resources